Interesting Facts

Facts About The Hippodrome Casino Building

1898 Renowned architect Frank Matcham lays the foundations for The Hippodrome Theatre, sister theatre to the Palladium and Coliseum

1900 January 15th sees the curtain rise on the first show in the West End’s first ‘circus theatre’. A 100,000 gallon tank occupies the ground floor as elephants, lions and bears take centre stage for never-seen- before circus and wild west spectaculars. Charlie Chaplin is in the cast for the opening night.

1904 Escapologist Harry Houdini performs at The Hippodrome.

1909  The Hippodrome is remodelled as a music hall.

1910  The curtain goes up on excerpts from a never-seen-before ballet called Swan Lake.

1919 The Dixieland Jazz Band presents the UK’s first ever jazz performance.

1945 Ivor Novello performs ‘Perchance to Dream’.

1947 Julie Andrews makes her professional stage debut.

1949 Folies Bergere performs to huge acclaim.

1958 The launch of the world’s most famous dinner theatre – the Talk of the Town. Performers include Julie Andrews, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Bruce Forsyth, Dame Shirley Bassey and Sammy Davis Jnr. The TOTT closes in 1983.

1983 Nightclub legend Peter Stringfellow opens ‘the world’s greatest disco’ and reinstates the Hippodrome name

2012 The Hippodrome Casino is opened on 13th July 2012 by Boris Johnson MP (then London Mayor)

2016 Pop superstar Prince performs his farewell UK gig.

2018 Hollywood superstar Channing Tatum launches Magic Mike Live, breaking West End records for advance ticket sales.

2019 Renee Zellweger stars in the biopic Judy covering the life of Judy Garland. The film centres on her final UK performance at the Talk Of The Town at the Hippodrome Theatre, and she wins the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role.